So, I have decided to give this another go. This will be my third attempt. I will consider it a success if I can get past 25,000 words this time. If anyone is interested in following my progress, I have added a widget to the side of this blog. Please feel free to "Buddy" me if you are participating too.
On that note, here is the short synopsis of my project:
Joe Parks was just an average tech guy on his honeymoon. He was a staunch gun-control supporter and an avowed "peacenick" who had never brought harm to another human being in his life.
But when tragedy strikes unexpectedly, it sends Joe on a journey into the heart of darkness, where he soon discovers that there is a fine line between justice and revenge. And though violence is never THE answer, it is sometimes AN answer. But always with a cost.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I’m doing fine…
This blog entry is in direct response to my wife’s recent entry.
Honey, I’m doing fine. I am admittedly a little burned out on lifting weights at the gym, and I’m feeling a bit bored, and like I’m not making progress anymore. That’s why I am looking at starting martial arts training.
Currently, I walk for at least 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times a day. I also always take the stairs, and will occasionally walk an extra flight or two, if I have time. Granted, this is not getting my heart rate up to athletic levels, and I am not strengthening any major muscle groups (well, my legs get a good burn), but I am burning calories and getting my blood flowing.
That being said, I do plan on getting back to the gym for weight-training at least once a week after we get back from California (right now my mind is very occupied with that trip). Additionally, I plan to buy a punching bag that I can store in the storage downstairs, and bring out to use down there at least once or twice a week, or whenever the mood strikes.
I think I will be starting JKD classes in January, when they introduce their new schedule. It will be on Monday and Tuesday evening, probably from about 8:00 until 9:00+ or so. So, after dinner, I head out to train. I’m only going to go month to month. It’s $20 more a month, but if that schedule becomes untenable, I don’t want to be stuck with a year-long membership that costs $250 to cancel. Plus this gives us a couple of months to stabilize our finances so we can be sure it’s affordable.
So, see? I have a plan. And though I have been a bit lethargic for the last couple of weeks, it’s only temporary. I’m still adjusting to being employed, plus all of the other stressors. Granted, they are relatively small in comparison to what we have dealt with in the past, but they still have their effect.
Honey, I’m doing fine. I am admittedly a little burned out on lifting weights at the gym, and I’m feeling a bit bored, and like I’m not making progress anymore. That’s why I am looking at starting martial arts training.
Currently, I walk for at least 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times a day. I also always take the stairs, and will occasionally walk an extra flight or two, if I have time. Granted, this is not getting my heart rate up to athletic levels, and I am not strengthening any major muscle groups (well, my legs get a good burn), but I am burning calories and getting my blood flowing.
That being said, I do plan on getting back to the gym for weight-training at least once a week after we get back from California (right now my mind is very occupied with that trip). Additionally, I plan to buy a punching bag that I can store in the storage downstairs, and bring out to use down there at least once or twice a week, or whenever the mood strikes.
I think I will be starting JKD classes in January, when they introduce their new schedule. It will be on Monday and Tuesday evening, probably from about 8:00 until 9:00+ or so. So, after dinner, I head out to train. I’m only going to go month to month. It’s $20 more a month, but if that schedule becomes untenable, I don’t want to be stuck with a year-long membership that costs $250 to cancel. Plus this gives us a couple of months to stabilize our finances so we can be sure it’s affordable.
So, see? I have a plan. And though I have been a bit lethargic for the last couple of weeks, it’s only temporary. I’m still adjusting to being employed, plus all of the other stressors. Granted, they are relatively small in comparison to what we have dealt with in the past, but they still have their effect.
Monday, October 18, 2010
My Martial Journey begins anew
Today I have my initial “free lesson” at The Blast. This is a local martial arts academy here in Madison that offers complete martial arts training in a variety of styles and purposes. Kickboxing, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, self-defense, and Jeet Kune Do. It is the latter that has me interested. When I was in high school I became enamored of Bruce Lee. I loved his movies and was electrified to watch his skill on screen. Soon I came to love all martial arts movies, and am to this day a huge fan of them. But Bruce will always be my favorite, just as he is for a lot of people. During this time I took Tae Kwon Do for a few months, and practiced martial arts with my friends as often as I could. In those days I was able pick up on techniques by watching others do them and then practicing them.* I learned a lot just from watching Bruce, Chuck, Jean-Claude and the like.When I was about 14 years old, I got the complete set of Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method books for Christmas. These were my collective bible, and I read and re-read them all many times. At this point, I was learning Jeet Kune Do on my own. I was studying the philosophy that Bruce developed, as well as the techniques that he used. Later in life I would take Hapkido for a time, and continue my eclectic learning and training. But I never got a chance to go back and really learn JKD. Now, I just may be doing that soon. Assuming the school is a good fit. I hope it is, because it’s the only place anywhere near me that offers it. I am very out of practice, but am eager to get back into it.
In somewhat related news, my birthday celebration is coming up in December. My awesome wife has planned a huge trip to Vegas. I’ll be there with a lot of old buddies, many of whom I haven’t seen in years, as well as some new ones. One of the things she has planned for “the guys” is to go to a place where we can shoot automatic rifles and firearms. I haven’t fired a weapon since 1995, so I am looking forward to it. Nothing feels quite like putting lead downrange with accuracy.
All in all, life is pretty damn good right now. Michele’s fitness journey is inspiring me, which is what lead me to look into martial arts schools. The kids are doing good, more or less. Had some drama with Faith recently, thanks to her mother. But, that will be resolved, one way or the other, next week. Sydney is doing good in school. She still struggles with anxiety, and her reading is a bit behind. But she is showing progress, and we’re all proud of that. Connor is growing like a weed and is a very smart boy. He already recognizes letters and numbers, and is getting better at articulating what he wants. He still wakes up in the middle of the night a lot, but lately it’s mainly because he has a cold and is all stuffy.
I’m writing a bit more, now that things are starting to settle into a groove with work and play. Worked a little more on a historical project I had started a while back. I’m also a bit inspired to work on my supernatural action/romance book. Sometimes I wonder if I will wake up one day and have like five books done without even realizing it…
*A bit of trivia, there is a character in Marvel Comics known as The Taskmaster who has this ability, but at a super-level. They call it “Photographic Reflexes.”
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Stages of Gamer Development
I am currently in a master’s program for Counseling Studies, and part of that, obviously, is the study of psychological theories. Something I have learned is that many theories have been presented over the years about psychological development. What stages are involved, what the normal “process” of psychological development is, and so on.
This got me to thinking about something. Do gamers go through a development process? And by that, I am referring to tabletop role-players. Video-gamers may go through a similar process, but that’s not my focus here. Perhaps someday, when I have to write a research paper on this sort of thing, I will base it on this idea. Because I’m a geek like that.
Anyways, here’s my initial theory on The Stages of Gamer Development, from a psychological point of view. This theory assumes an average gamer, who is introduced to the hobby during adolescence (ages 11-13 or so), and continues playing through adulthood. Obviously there will be many who do not fall within these parameters. But, given it’s a psychological theory, it is a broad generalization at best, and open for individual interpretation of course.
Stage 1: Hack and Slash, or “Kill the monsters and take their stuff”
In the past D&D was the most common vehicle for introducing new players to the hobby. Though with the proliferation of games in recent years, this is by no means the rule anymore. Still, regardless of the game or genre, new gamers spend much of this first stage learning the rules, the standard conventions of the genre, and how those two mesh to create a “roll-playing” experience. The focus is on what the character can and can’t do, and how dice rolls can be used to achieve a desired outcome. The story is secondary at this stage, and is often just a convenient excuse to get from one fight to the next, to loot the bodies for treasure, and to advance the character’s abilities. This stage is experienced with a sense of wonder and excitement that only new players can truly enjoy. Gaming sessions can often last for long periods, with all-night gaming sessions not unheard of. This stage often doesn’t last long for each individual, but as a group, players may revisit this stage often as new players are introduced to the hobby.
Stage 2: The Age of High Adventure
At this stage, the player is well-versed in the rules. He is aware of what his characters’ abilities and potentials are, and he has explored (to varying degrees) the different kinds of characters he can play. At this point, focus begins to shift from the mechanics to the storytelling. Though not quite ready for true role-playing (see Stage 3), the player in Stage 2 is more aware of the story potential of a given adventure, how it fits into the world, and how his character effects that story. This is usually the stage where players begin to develop detailed backgrounds and personalities for their characters. They begin to cooperate with other players more. Not only through the course of adventuring, but also in the details. Often they will have their characters develop “relationships” with other characters, both player and non-player. Though this stage lacks some of the wide-eyed wonder of Stage 1, it makes up for it with the enthusiasm that comes from knowing what lies ahead. This stage usually lasts the longest, and many gamers never leave this stage until they leave the hobby altogether.
Stage 3: The Play within the Play
At some point most (if not all) gamers get a little burned out on the tried and true adventure tropes of killing and looting and advancing. They start to crave something more, though many are not sure what that truly is at first. At this point, many gamers will begin to explore other games. If they have not already, they will seek out games in various genres, such as science fiction, super heroes, and the like. Sometimes, this will be enough of a change to refresh the gamer batteries, thus keeping them in Stage 2 (or sometimes moving back to Stage 1 for a time). However, for many others, this is the time when they begin to embrace the story, the character, and the plot. They begin to “act out” their characters’ actions, speaking with their character’s voices, and making (often bad) decisions based on what the character would do, and not what they themselves might do. This is referred to as “immersive” role-play, and it is not unlike an improvisational theater troupe. Many gamers see this as the ideal for gaming, being the very definition of “role-playing.” Sometimes these gamers will seek out new games to play, and new systems to learn that are less “crunchy” with rules, and more adaptable, allowing a greater freedom of gaming experience. Whole game systems and genres have been developed just for this purpose (such as White Wolf’s World of Darkness).
Stage 4: Semi-retirement
Eventually even gamers will embrace a social life beyond the gaming table. They will develop other interests and hobbies, begin dating, and very often marry and settle down to have families. Stage 4 gamers are usually still well-versed in games, and have many fond memories of gaming sessions, old friends and even older characters (let me tell you about my half-elf fighter sometime). But their gaming schedule is not nearly as regular as it used to be (nor as often as they’d probably like). Gaming has become a pass time that they occasionally engage in, as time and obligations permit. Gaming must be scheduled around babysitters, work, and familial obligations. Stage 4 gamers sometimes take on the role of mentors, teaching their beloved hobby to their children and their children’s friends.
It should be noted that many gamers, even after hitting this stage in their life (married with children), still do not leave Stage 2 or 3. These gamers schedule regular sessions, just like poker night or pool night. It’s a chance to get away from home, hang with friends, and do something they love. On rare occasions gamers at this stage will marry other gamers (like yours truly), which sometimes allows more freedom to game. Sometimes, but not always. Especially if small children are involved.
The Retired and The Lost
As difficult of a concept as it is to grasp, there are actually some gamers who “outgrow” the hobby. These sad, hollow individuals see gaming as a kid’s pass time. Something that “adults” don’t do. Well, they’re wrong, of course. Adults often still play. But “grown ups” generally don’t. Sometimes these ex-gamers can be lured back into the fold by old friends, or by a desire to recapture their youth. However, this often doesn’t last long. At least, not at the table. One phenomena that has recently taken hold is the proliferation of video and computer games. Many ex-role-players find satisfaction for their gaming itch in console games, computer RPGs and MMOs. Through these mediums they can touch on the joy they felt as youths, without the social stigma. They are also afforded an anonymity that is absent in a table top game. But, at the end of the day, even if they spent their afternoon playing golf with the boss, or the evening at a night club, when they log into HALO or World of Warcraft, they are still (for a time) that social misfit who rolled dice and ate nachos with glee back in the day.
Note: This is not meant as an academic presentation (in its current form, anyways). This theory merely reflects the opinions of the semi-educated author. Your experiences may differ greatly.
This got me to thinking about something. Do gamers go through a development process? And by that, I am referring to tabletop role-players. Video-gamers may go through a similar process, but that’s not my focus here. Perhaps someday, when I have to write a research paper on this sort of thing, I will base it on this idea. Because I’m a geek like that.
Anyways, here’s my initial theory on The Stages of Gamer Development, from a psychological point of view. This theory assumes an average gamer, who is introduced to the hobby during adolescence (ages 11-13 or so), and continues playing through adulthood. Obviously there will be many who do not fall within these parameters. But, given it’s a psychological theory, it is a broad generalization at best, and open for individual interpretation of course.
Stage 1: Hack and Slash, or “Kill the monsters and take their stuff”
In the past D&D was the most common vehicle for introducing new players to the hobby. Though with the proliferation of games in recent years, this is by no means the rule anymore. Still, regardless of the game or genre, new gamers spend much of this first stage learning the rules, the standard conventions of the genre, and how those two mesh to create a “roll-playing” experience. The focus is on what the character can and can’t do, and how dice rolls can be used to achieve a desired outcome. The story is secondary at this stage, and is often just a convenient excuse to get from one fight to the next, to loot the bodies for treasure, and to advance the character’s abilities. This stage is experienced with a sense of wonder and excitement that only new players can truly enjoy. Gaming sessions can often last for long periods, with all-night gaming sessions not unheard of. This stage often doesn’t last long for each individual, but as a group, players may revisit this stage often as new players are introduced to the hobby.
Stage 2: The Age of High Adventure
At this stage, the player is well-versed in the rules. He is aware of what his characters’ abilities and potentials are, and he has explored (to varying degrees) the different kinds of characters he can play. At this point, focus begins to shift from the mechanics to the storytelling. Though not quite ready for true role-playing (see Stage 3), the player in Stage 2 is more aware of the story potential of a given adventure, how it fits into the world, and how his character effects that story. This is usually the stage where players begin to develop detailed backgrounds and personalities for their characters. They begin to cooperate with other players more. Not only through the course of adventuring, but also in the details. Often they will have their characters develop “relationships” with other characters, both player and non-player. Though this stage lacks some of the wide-eyed wonder of Stage 1, it makes up for it with the enthusiasm that comes from knowing what lies ahead. This stage usually lasts the longest, and many gamers never leave this stage until they leave the hobby altogether.
Stage 3: The Play within the Play
At some point most (if not all) gamers get a little burned out on the tried and true adventure tropes of killing and looting and advancing. They start to crave something more, though many are not sure what that truly is at first. At this point, many gamers will begin to explore other games. If they have not already, they will seek out games in various genres, such as science fiction, super heroes, and the like. Sometimes, this will be enough of a change to refresh the gamer batteries, thus keeping them in Stage 2 (or sometimes moving back to Stage 1 for a time). However, for many others, this is the time when they begin to embrace the story, the character, and the plot. They begin to “act out” their characters’ actions, speaking with their character’s voices, and making (often bad) decisions based on what the character would do, and not what they themselves might do. This is referred to as “immersive” role-play, and it is not unlike an improvisational theater troupe. Many gamers see this as the ideal for gaming, being the very definition of “role-playing.” Sometimes these gamers will seek out new games to play, and new systems to learn that are less “crunchy” with rules, and more adaptable, allowing a greater freedom of gaming experience. Whole game systems and genres have been developed just for this purpose (such as White Wolf’s World of Darkness).
Stage 4: Semi-retirement
Eventually even gamers will embrace a social life beyond the gaming table. They will develop other interests and hobbies, begin dating, and very often marry and settle down to have families. Stage 4 gamers are usually still well-versed in games, and have many fond memories of gaming sessions, old friends and even older characters (let me tell you about my half-elf fighter sometime). But their gaming schedule is not nearly as regular as it used to be (nor as often as they’d probably like). Gaming has become a pass time that they occasionally engage in, as time and obligations permit. Gaming must be scheduled around babysitters, work, and familial obligations. Stage 4 gamers sometimes take on the role of mentors, teaching their beloved hobby to their children and their children’s friends.
It should be noted that many gamers, even after hitting this stage in their life (married with children), still do not leave Stage 2 or 3. These gamers schedule regular sessions, just like poker night or pool night. It’s a chance to get away from home, hang with friends, and do something they love. On rare occasions gamers at this stage will marry other gamers (like yours truly), which sometimes allows more freedom to game. Sometimes, but not always. Especially if small children are involved.
The Retired and The Lost
As difficult of a concept as it is to grasp, there are actually some gamers who “outgrow” the hobby. These sad, hollow individuals see gaming as a kid’s pass time. Something that “adults” don’t do. Well, they’re wrong, of course. Adults often still play. But “grown ups” generally don’t. Sometimes these ex-gamers can be lured back into the fold by old friends, or by a desire to recapture their youth. However, this often doesn’t last long. At least, not at the table. One phenomena that has recently taken hold is the proliferation of video and computer games. Many ex-role-players find satisfaction for their gaming itch in console games, computer RPGs and MMOs. Through these mediums they can touch on the joy they felt as youths, without the social stigma. They are also afforded an anonymity that is absent in a table top game. But, at the end of the day, even if they spent their afternoon playing golf with the boss, or the evening at a night club, when they log into HALO or World of Warcraft, they are still (for a time) that social misfit who rolled dice and ate nachos with glee back in the day.
Note: This is not meant as an academic presentation (in its current form, anyways). This theory merely reflects the opinions of the semi-educated author. Your experiences may differ greatly.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Random thoughts and ideas
So, I figured I’d take a bit of my downtime here at my new job and update my blog.
Speaking of my new job, things are going good. For those who may not have heard, I started last week at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Yes, I am a government employee. But I feel like this department actually does some good, as it takes care of children in need and their families. Oddly enough, the department would probably be where I would try to get hired once I finish my Masters in Counseling Studies (or whatever program I switch to). So, when the time comes, I already have an inside track on becoming a social worker/counselor for the State. It’s like there was this grand plan or something…
School is going ok. Had a bit of a hiccup last week involving deadlines for posting discussions. Apparently my new school sets mid-week deadlines for posting new discussion topics. This is fine, and pretty common. But in my past experience, it’s been more of a guideline in order to allow others time enough to respond. However, this school enforces it by not allowing new posts after Thursday. From then on, you can only respond to other people’s posts. So, my grade for last week will suffer, as I didn’t get to it until Saturday. Stupid rule, considering it’s an online school. But, meh. I’ll deal with it.
So, Sunday was my wife's first 5k. She had started running to lose the baby-weight, and found she really liked it. She looks awesome these days, and I often have a hard time keeping my hands off of her (not that it's really ever been different). But, anyways, she decided as a goal to runa 5k. Well, she did it. And faster than she expected. And now she's looking at marathons, triathlons and an Iron Man. I say more power to her! She amazes me with how much personal motivation she has sometimes. I am very proud of my honeys.
I’ve been editing my Ryvor stories based on some feedback. I like the edited versions better. So, I may try to submit them for publication soon. Speaking of writing, with a new full-time job and going to grad school, writing will be taking a back seat for a while. I’m not giving up on it. It’s just that supporting my family and stabilizing my life is more important right now. That being said, I am constantly barraged with new ideas. I need to carry a notebook around to jot stuff down in.
Yesterday I was reading a couple of articles by a friend of mine. Phil Elmore is a writer who runs a website called The Martialist. There he reviews and discusses all things pertaining to combat and fighting. Martial arts, knives, guns, etc… He also likes to expose frauds in the martial arts community, and one of his favorite targets is Ashida Kim. Without going into detail, the things I’ve learned about this supposed “ninja master” from the 80’s has me in stitches. The guy is a certifiable loon. The funny thing is, people buy his BS whole-heartedly. So last night I had this idea of creating my own martial art on paper, a persona to sell with it, and market it to unsuspecting saps looking for a fantasy. It would be a hoot, I think.
Other than that life is going as it goes. I got permission to take the last week of October off for my court appearance in Fresno. If all goes well, Faith will be coming home to where she belongs in Wisconsin sometime in December.
Generally speaking, life is pretty good.
Oh, and congrats to my Dark Master, Scott Oden, and his beautiful new bride, Shannon. They tied the knot on Saturday, and they looked great!
Speaking of my new job, things are going good. For those who may not have heard, I started last week at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Yes, I am a government employee. But I feel like this department actually does some good, as it takes care of children in need and their families. Oddly enough, the department would probably be where I would try to get hired once I finish my Masters in Counseling Studies (or whatever program I switch to). So, when the time comes, I already have an inside track on becoming a social worker/counselor for the State. It’s like there was this grand plan or something…
School is going ok. Had a bit of a hiccup last week involving deadlines for posting discussions. Apparently my new school sets mid-week deadlines for posting new discussion topics. This is fine, and pretty common. But in my past experience, it’s been more of a guideline in order to allow others time enough to respond. However, this school enforces it by not allowing new posts after Thursday. From then on, you can only respond to other people’s posts. So, my grade for last week will suffer, as I didn’t get to it until Saturday. Stupid rule, considering it’s an online school. But, meh. I’ll deal with it.
So, Sunday was my wife's first 5k. She had started running to lose the baby-weight, and found she really liked it. She looks awesome these days, and I often have a hard time keeping my hands off of her (not that it's really ever been different). But, anyways, she decided as a goal to runa 5k. Well, she did it. And faster than she expected. And now she's looking at marathons, triathlons and an Iron Man. I say more power to her! She amazes me with how much personal motivation she has sometimes. I am very proud of my honeys.
I’ve been editing my Ryvor stories based on some feedback. I like the edited versions better. So, I may try to submit them for publication soon. Speaking of writing, with a new full-time job and going to grad school, writing will be taking a back seat for a while. I’m not giving up on it. It’s just that supporting my family and stabilizing my life is more important right now. That being said, I am constantly barraged with new ideas. I need to carry a notebook around to jot stuff down in.
Yesterday I was reading a couple of articles by a friend of mine. Phil Elmore is a writer who runs a website called The Martialist. There he reviews and discusses all things pertaining to combat and fighting. Martial arts, knives, guns, etc… He also likes to expose frauds in the martial arts community, and one of his favorite targets is Ashida Kim. Without going into detail, the things I’ve learned about this supposed “ninja master” from the 80’s has me in stitches. The guy is a certifiable loon. The funny thing is, people buy his BS whole-heartedly. So last night I had this idea of creating my own martial art on paper, a persona to sell with it, and market it to unsuspecting saps looking for a fantasy. It would be a hoot, I think.
Other than that life is going as it goes. I got permission to take the last week of October off for my court appearance in Fresno. If all goes well, Faith will be coming home to where she belongs in Wisconsin sometime in December.
Generally speaking, life is pretty good.
Oh, and congrats to my Dark Master, Scott Oden, and his beautiful new bride, Shannon. They tied the knot on Saturday, and they looked great!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
It's not a train this time!
I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I got a job offer from the State of Wisconsin this morning. After an application process that seemed to take forever, I was finally chosen. Part of me wonders if maybe others had turned the position down before I was offered it. But that doesn't really matter. I will take it. After over a year of unemployment, it will be nice to earn an honest wage again.
I don't start until the 27th of September, but that's ok too. It gives me a couple of weeks to prepare. As a state job, I will probably need to buy almost a whole new wardrobe. Plus, it's downtown, which means my commute and parking will be a pain until I get used to it. So, I will be taking this time to plan my route and an alternate route or two.
The position itself is basically an admin assistant position, assisting the Director of Regional Operations for the Department of Children and Families. Interestingly, based on the job description, and what I have gleaned about the Department, my graduate degree in Counseling Studies may eventually come in handy. It's like it was all part of some grand plan...
It will be tough to balance my time between work, family, writing, school and the gym. But I think I can do it. Being busy, with little to no "idle time" on my hands sounds like a pleasant change right now. Of course, you could ask me how I feel about it a year from now and I might give you a different opinion.
All in all, I'm very happy today. I think maybe I will treat myself to a celebratory lunch today.
I got a job offer from the State of Wisconsin this morning. After an application process that seemed to take forever, I was finally chosen. Part of me wonders if maybe others had turned the position down before I was offered it. But that doesn't really matter. I will take it. After over a year of unemployment, it will be nice to earn an honest wage again.
I don't start until the 27th of September, but that's ok too. It gives me a couple of weeks to prepare. As a state job, I will probably need to buy almost a whole new wardrobe. Plus, it's downtown, which means my commute and parking will be a pain until I get used to it. So, I will be taking this time to plan my route and an alternate route or two.
The position itself is basically an admin assistant position, assisting the Director of Regional Operations for the Department of Children and Families. Interestingly, based on the job description, and what I have gleaned about the Department, my graduate degree in Counseling Studies may eventually come in handy. It's like it was all part of some grand plan...
It will be tough to balance my time between work, family, writing, school and the gym. But I think I can do it. Being busy, with little to no "idle time" on my hands sounds like a pleasant change right now. Of course, you could ask me how I feel about it a year from now and I might give you a different opinion.
All in all, I'm very happy today. I think maybe I will treat myself to a celebratory lunch today.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Teh wundrs of teh intrawebz
It still amazes me that the internet has become such an intimate part of my life. I am on it every day, sometimes much more than I should be. I Facebook, I post, I blog (duh!), and lately, thanks to my obsessive hero-worship of Stallone, I Tweet. But where does it all lead me?
Well, Facebook has allowed me to find a lot of old friends from high school and from my service in the Army. It has also allowed me to make new friends. And even make new friends from old "acquaintances." People that I knew in the past, but never really hung out with. Now we swap daily stories of our lives, and have become closer than we ever might have been had this thing not come along.
One friend whom I met on the Conan forums, and later friended on Facebook, is a published author. I originally started chatting with Scott Oden because he was a fan of Robert E. Howard and he loves orcs, just like me. Ironically, we differ in our opinions of orcs (he's a Tolkienesque purist, and I prefer the green meanies of Warcraft fame). But we had a lot in common anyways. So on a whim I read his first book. I don't normally go for historical fiction, but Men of Bronze was fantastic. I was hooked and an instant fan. And what's more is I found a kindred spirit. As a writer, Scott has been where I am now. And he is very open with advice on how to get past this stage of being a non-committed writer. For my part, I try to always be upbeat when he gets down on himself. He's a phenomenal storyteller, but like all of us, he has occasional doubts. Well, apparently my words, as well as a few others of us, have helped carry him through. His latest book, The Lion of Cairo, just hit the shelves in the UK. I was ecstatic to learn that he was sending me a signed copy "with my name on it." I got it in the mail the other day and found that he mentions me in his acknowledgments. I am humbled and honored. And without the internet, I probably never would have even known about Scott. By the way, Lion is excellent, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It comes out in the US in December, but you can pre-order it now.
I have long been posting on forums, and have learned a lot about life and about myself on these social constructs. My political views have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. And I even met the love of my life on one. There are good and bad things about forums. On the good side, you can say anything you like, and share your opinions openly. The downside is that so can everyone else. There are a lot of nutbags out there, and their opinions are just as whacked out to you as yours are to them. The internet has taught me how to be tolerant, and to see the bigger picture. That it's our differences that make us unique. Just like everyone else.
Blogging started for me as it does for most people. A way of keeping a journal. A cathartic release of pent up emotions, ideas and random thoughts. In the last couple of years my blogging has often taken on a more focused purpose. This blog that you are reading is where my personal (but not political or religious) thoughts can be shared with anyone with nothing better to do than to read what I have to say. And lately, blogging has landed me a "job" of sorts. Once a week for the past two weeks, I have had blog posts featured at Black Gate Magazine. I have my third one coming out this Saturday. It's not a paying gig, but that's not important. What is important is that my writing is being viewed by a much wider audience. And that feels good.
And now, I have finally drank the Kool Aid and started Tweeting. Ok, so I don't actually Tweet all that much, and for the past few days, it's been more about following what my hero, Sylvester Stallone, has to say. He only recently started Tweeting too. But today he was playing a movie quote trivia game, and I knew all the answers. I know it's only because I don't see all of the other tweets he sees in answer to his posts (he has over 30,000 followers), but for a short time I could suspend my disbelief and feel like I was having a private conversation with the man himself. That was super cool. And again, I have the internet to thank for that.
So, here I am. An unemployed house-husband and at-home dad (though hopefully not unemployed for much longer) with a lot of worries and stresses. But I can still escape to the Web. It's almost like walking into Cheers, where everybody knows my name.
Well, Facebook has allowed me to find a lot of old friends from high school and from my service in the Army. It has also allowed me to make new friends. And even make new friends from old "acquaintances." People that I knew in the past, but never really hung out with. Now we swap daily stories of our lives, and have become closer than we ever might have been had this thing not come along.
One friend whom I met on the Conan forums, and later friended on Facebook, is a published author. I originally started chatting with Scott Oden because he was a fan of Robert E. Howard and he loves orcs, just like me. Ironically, we differ in our opinions of orcs (he's a Tolkienesque purist, and I prefer the green meanies of Warcraft fame). But we had a lot in common anyways. So on a whim I read his first book. I don't normally go for historical fiction, but Men of Bronze was fantastic. I was hooked and an instant fan. And what's more is I found a kindred spirit. As a writer, Scott has been where I am now. And he is very open with advice on how to get past this stage of being a non-committed writer. For my part, I try to always be upbeat when he gets down on himself. He's a phenomenal storyteller, but like all of us, he has occasional doubts. Well, apparently my words, as well as a few others of us, have helped carry him through. His latest book, The Lion of Cairo, just hit the shelves in the UK. I was ecstatic to learn that he was sending me a signed copy "with my name on it." I got it in the mail the other day and found that he mentions me in his acknowledgments. I am humbled and honored. And without the internet, I probably never would have even known about Scott. By the way, Lion is excellent, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It comes out in the US in December, but you can pre-order it now.
I have long been posting on forums, and have learned a lot about life and about myself on these social constructs. My political views have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. And I even met the love of my life on one. There are good and bad things about forums. On the good side, you can say anything you like, and share your opinions openly. The downside is that so can everyone else. There are a lot of nutbags out there, and their opinions are just as whacked out to you as yours are to them. The internet has taught me how to be tolerant, and to see the bigger picture. That it's our differences that make us unique. Just like everyone else.
Blogging started for me as it does for most people. A way of keeping a journal. A cathartic release of pent up emotions, ideas and random thoughts. In the last couple of years my blogging has often taken on a more focused purpose. This blog that you are reading is where my personal (but not political or religious) thoughts can be shared with anyone with nothing better to do than to read what I have to say. And lately, blogging has landed me a "job" of sorts. Once a week for the past two weeks, I have had blog posts featured at Black Gate Magazine. I have my third one coming out this Saturday. It's not a paying gig, but that's not important. What is important is that my writing is being viewed by a much wider audience. And that feels good.
And now, I have finally drank the Kool Aid and started Tweeting. Ok, so I don't actually Tweet all that much, and for the past few days, it's been more about following what my hero, Sylvester Stallone, has to say. He only recently started Tweeting too. But today he was playing a movie quote trivia game, and I knew all the answers. I know it's only because I don't see all of the other tweets he sees in answer to his posts (he has over 30,000 followers), but for a short time I could suspend my disbelief and feel like I was having a private conversation with the man himself. That was super cool. And again, I have the internet to thank for that.
So, here I am. An unemployed house-husband and at-home dad (though hopefully not unemployed for much longer) with a lot of worries and stresses. But I can still escape to the Web. It's almost like walking into Cheers, where everybody knows my name.
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